After India's big series win against South Africa, Virat Kohli said something interesting: He feels like his batting is back to where it was a few years ago.
He said this after India's easy nine-wicket win in the third ODI, which gave them the series victory 2-1. Kohli played great during the three games, earning him the Player of the Series award for the 20th time.
Renaissance in Numbers
Kohli’s stats for the series were a throwback to his golden era. He amassed a staggering 302 runs in three innings, remaining unbeaten once. His scores read like a masterclass in ODI batting:
Perhaps most telling was his aggression. Known for running hard between the wickets and finding gaps, a liberated Kohli struck 12 sixes in the series, three more than any other player.
Finding Freedom of Mind
At the post-match thing, Kohli chatted about how he's been feeling and how good it is to get back into the swing of things.
Playing as I have in this series is what makes me happy, Kohli said. I don't think I've played this well in like 2 or 3 years, and my head feels clear. Everything just feels right.”
This freedom showed in how he took chances. When I'm relaxed, I know I can hit those sixes, he said. I wanted to enjoy myself since I was hitting the ball well, so I took some risks and pushed myself to see what would happen. You can always get better, but you have to take a chance.
According to Kohli, the catalyst for this series-defining run was his knock in the first ODI at Ranchi. Coming off a break after the Australia series, that innings of 135 unlocked something inside him.
"Ranchi was very special for me because it just opened me up in a way that I haven't felt for a while," he said, pinning it as his favorite knock of the series. "Just to come out, and you know when you start hitting the ball well. And also, just how your energy is on the day. You just feel so confident about taking risks. And when they come off, of course, it unlocks, as I said, that zone as a batsman which you are craving for."
Kohli’s career, spanning over 15 years at the highest level, hasn't been without its troughs. He spoke candidly about the inherent self-doubt that every batsman faces, knowing one mistake ends their innings.
"When you play for that long... You are going to have many phases where you doubt your ability. Especially as a batsman because you are literally relying on one mistake," Kohli reflected. "So, you tend to go into a space where you feel like maybe I am not good enough, and the nerves take over. That's the beauty of sport... You have to keep overcoming that fear."
He described batting as a journey of personal growth, where overcoming on-field challenges leads to better temperament and balance off the field. "I have had many phases where I have doubted myself, and I haven't been shy to admit that. So, I think it's a pretty human part of anyone's journey for that long," he noted.
Now a senior statesman in the team alongside captain Rohit Sharma, Kohli emphasized that high-pressure situations like a series decider still bring out the best in them.
"It's always brought the best out of us over the years. That's what we play our cricket for," he said about the 1-1 scenario heading into Vizag. "When it is 1-1, and it's a decider, you get excited. I want to make a play today. I want to make a dent in the game. And I want to do something special for the team. That's what we have always done over so many years."
With two centuries, a Player of the Series award, and an admission that he is finally back to his absolute best, Virat Kohli has sent an ominous warning to bowlers around the world. The King is not just back; by his own reckoning, he has unlocked a level he hasn't visited in years.
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